Patrick Gratton

Thank our wonderful batch of Voting Members, who's sharp eyes, taste and support make these awards happen. And a Big Thank You to all of you for commenting and following along!!

A big thank you to the Admin Team,
@claudioalvesdc.bsky.social, @nickt00783.bsky.social
Keith MacDonald and Roberto Tyler Ortiz for your help and guidance throughout this process. A Special Thank you to our group's Co-Chief Operator Jordan Butterill for your hours of work.

Thus concludes the 2025 Gold Digger Mid-Year Awards Winners Announcement. With it's 10 wins (including the 2 ties), Sinners breaks GD records, as the most awarded film at our Mid-Year Awards. Asteroid City previously held the title in 2023 after winning 6 Awards.

After four rounds of voting on the Preferential Ballot Method, The 2025 Gold Digger Mid-Year Award for Best Feature Film goes to ....

SINNERS
Ryan Coogler & Zinzi Coogler & Sev Ohanian (Producers)

In Summation the Nominees for Best Feature Film Are:

28 YEARS LATER
APRIL
BLACK BAG
GRAND TOUR
MICKEY 17
MISERICORDIA
ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL
THE SHROUDS
SINNERS
SORRY, BABY

Sorry, Baby (A24) -- Mark Ceryak & Barry Jenkins & Adele Romanski (Producers)

Sinners (Warner Bros.) – Ryan Coogler & Zinzi Coogler & Sev Ohanian (Producers)

The Shrouds (Janus Films – Sideshow)– Saïd Ben Saïd & Martin Katz & Anthony Vaccarello (Producers)

On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (A24) -- Tim Cole & Ed Guiney & Andrew Lowe (Producers)

Misericordia (Janus Films – Sideshow)-- Charles Gillibert (Producer)

Grand Tour (MUBI) -- Marta Donzelli & Gregorio Paonessa & Filipa Reis (Producers)

Black Bag (Focus Features) – Gregory Jacobs & Christof Neracher & Casey Silver (Producers)

April (Metrograph Pictures) -- Ilan Amouyal & Archil Gelovani & Luca Guadagnino & Francesco Melzi d’Eril & Alexandra Rossi & David Zerat (Producers)

The ten nominated films for Best Feature Film Are!!!

28 Years Later (Columbia Pictures – Sony Pictures) – Bernard Bellow & Danny Boyle & Alex Garland & Andrew MacDonald & Peter Rice (Producers)

Now onto our main event. Our international voting body membership consisting of critics, cinephiles and filmmakers have hand selecting ten films that defined cinema during the first half of 2025

And the Award for Best Directing goes to ....

Ryan Coogler, Sinners

The nominees for Best Directing are ...

Danny Boyle, 28 Years Later
Ryan Coogler, Sinners
Miguel Gomes, Grand Tour
Dea Kulumbegashvili, April
Rugano Nyoni, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl

As we draw towards the end of our winners announcement, it's time to honour the maestros who's art became the benchmark for the first half of this cinematic year.

And the award for Best International Film goes to ...

Grand Tour (Portugal / Italy / France / Germany)
Marta Donzelli & Gregorio Paonessa & Filipa Reis (Producers)

At a time where world cinema is broadly available, we honour films from across the globe that are universal in their storytelling.

The nominees for Best International Film are:

APRIL
CAUGHT BY THE TIDES
GRAND TOUR
MISERICORDIA
ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL

And the Award for Best Animated Film Goes to ..

KPOP: Demon Hunters
Michelle Wong (Producer)

Moving on! Whether it be abstract art, Saturday morning event watch, or simply tooning out, Animation has always been a medium to keep us company.

The nominees for Best Animated Film are:

THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP: A LOONEY TUNES MOVIE
ELIO
KPOP: A DEMON HUNTER

And the Award for Best Non-Fiction Goes to...

Afternoon of Solitude
Pierre-Olivier Bardet & Luis Ferrón & Marta Lacimo Ligero & Pedro Palacios & Richard Sales & Joaquim Sapinho & Albert Serra & Montse Triola & Marta Vieira Alves (Producers)

Moving on.

The nominees for Best Non-Fiction Film are

AFTERNOON OF SOLITUDES
DEAF PRESIDENTS NOW!
THE ENCAMPMENTS
FROM GROUND ZERO
GRAND THEFT HAMLET
SLY LIVES! (AKA THE BURDEN OF A BLACK GENIUS)

And the Award for Best Directorial Debut goes to ....

Sorry, Baby – Eva Victor (Director); Mark Ceryak & Barry Jenkins & Adele Romanski (Producers)

The Nominees for Best Directorial debut are:

Companion (Drew Hancock)
Eephus (Carson Lund)
Friendship (Andrew DeYoung)
Sorry, Baby (Eva Victor)
The Ugly Stepsister (Emilie Blichfeldt)

Moving onto our specialized category. Much like our New Acting Newcomer category, film directors can make a mark early in their careers as much as they do in their twilight years.

And the Award for Best Acting Ensemble goes to ....

Moving onto our last acting category of the evening. There are no small actors, just small parts.

The nominees for Best Cast Ensemble are:

BLACK BAG
MICKEY 17
MISERICORDIA
THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME
SINNERS

And the Award for Best Leading Actress goes to ....

Zhao Tao, Caught By the Tides